Arthritis is a Greek term for joint inflammation. It is a culmination of conditions that pertain to damage of the joints and there are over 100 different forms of this disease. Pain from arthritis is often described as being localized and constant and that is due to the inflammation around the joint, either because of daily wear or infection.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form and can affect both small and large joints of the body and is usually caused from wear and tear of the joint. The back, spine and pelvis are the most likely places for this disease since it is a disease of the elderly in most cases.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks it’s own tissues. This disease seems to attack the joints in the fingers, wrists, knees and elbows, it is symmetrical and will lead to deformity. This arthritis affects the age group of 20 and above but in children can present itself with a skin rash, fever and pain.
Gout is joint inflammation caused by uric acid crystals within the joint and is considered yet another form of arthritis. This disease can affect any joint in the body and diet has shown to be somewhat helpful in controlling this illness.
Infectious arthritis is a severe form of arthritis and presents itself with sudden onset of chills, fever, and joint pain, indicating bacterial infection somewhere else in the body but showing itself in the joint. Quick assessment is necessary with this illness.
Psoriasis is another form of arthritis where most people develop the skin part of the infection before the joint infection. This arthritis has periods of remmision and it is said that there is no cure for this disease.
Common signs of arthritis, no matter what type it is, usually has tendencies of tiredness, muscle aches, poor sleep, weight loss and fever. It is also the most common cause of disability in the United States today.
